Wednesday, October 20, 2010

I have not seen the hawk but both my brother and neighbor have seen it. Yup, as if possums weren't enough for a small city yard, I now have a hawk. This creature according to my brother has a wing span larger than 3 feet. Apparently he/she has taken a liking to feeding on the small birds and squirrels who come to my yard for food. I have looked online and the best way to deter this bird of prey is to remove all bird feeders and squirrel feeders until the hawk has determined that it's food supply is gone and it will move on to greener pastures. Where was this large eating machine when the possums were around? Well, now that I think of it, I haven't seen a possum in about a month. Yikers, could this hawk really be feasting at my small yard's table on possums, birds and squirrels?

More than the safety of the small birds and squirrels, I have to make sure this hawk finds somewhere else to hunt because I don't want my two small dogs to become dinner for this hawk.

Monday, October 18, 2010

I have to laugh because this year has been about getting healthier. Losing weight and eating better. But this past weekend a simple change in my routine left me sore and hurting.

I have been going to the gym and working with weights and doing cardio. In fact I have consistently been able to do fifteen minutes on the continuous stairs and not feel like I was going to die afterwards. I lift weights and can see some changes in my body.

So, this past weekend I decided to go to the forest with my dogs and while I was there I did a little bit of jogging along the path in addition to walking. Yesterday I raked the leaves after the trip to the forest and boy oh boy did I feel aches and pains last night. A simple change in muscle groups and the body lets you know that those muscles have been neglected.

The lesson that I learned: Not all physical activity needs to be at the gym and that a body will get used to the same old routine so you need to spice it up to get those seldom used muscles to wake up and get with the program.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

I love the fall.The crisp cool weather, pulling out sweaters and socks.Football, the leaves changing color...

One of my favorites is the new television schedule.

Which takes me to my point of this post. I started watching the new Jimmy Smits show "Outlaw" and have watched the three or four episodes that have been aired. I just read this morning on Yahoo that the show has been cancelled. WHAT????? Only three or four episodes in?

I liked this show and it makes me sad to see that it has been cancelled already.

Has this cancellation affected your fall line-up?Has this happened to you with another show?

Monday, October 11, 2010

I have an accounting degree. I don't eat and breathe accounting but it's the way that I make my living and I did the schooling and because of that I believe that I have a good idea of the right way to do something when it comes to my job.

I find it difficult that I have to argue my position when it comes to procedure with a co-worker who feels it would be "easier" to do it her way. Unfortunately, she has no working knowledge of accounting and just wants to do it "her way" because that is what she feels is the most simple or convenient way for her to do it.

Thursday, October 07, 2010

Tuesday, October 05, 2010

So, over the weekend I was at a local McDonald's going through the drive thru for my iced tea. This particular McDonald's has the drive through lane right next to a parking lane. There is a NO RIGHT TURN sign posted at the end of this lane of parking. The type with the right turn symbol with the large red circle with a slash through it. Nothing to read language wise. Well, like most everyone else I pass that lane and go down the next one and come around and get into the drive thru lane. Well, in the time it took me to go around and enter the drive thru lane properly, there was one driver that decided that "the sign" DID NOT apply to them. So, because people like this REALLY get under my skin I didn't allow the driver into the drive thru lane in front of me. So, because this lane is truly a one way they had their car sitting out sideways blocking traffic because they didn't want to take the time to "do it right". I was assailed with a barrage of "you are an effin' byotch, fat pig....". Having been raised to turn the other cheek I probably should have done that, but the older that I get the more that these type of things bother me. Today it's sneak in line the wrong way. Tomorrow it's cheat someone out of this, the next it's something else. What happened to common courtesy and following the rules?

What would you have done? Stood your ground like I did or let the person cut in line?

Monday, October 04, 2010

This weekend there was small school reunion. My sister Caryn's class and mine got together to reminisce along with another class. It was fun to see some people that I haven't seen in many years. Interesting to find out "what they became". I had a good time and really enjoy the "hunt" for those lost classmates that I haven't seen or heard from in years. I definitely have to dig out my old class picture and start the major hunt, something that should be made much easier with the internet. After all, there is less than 4 years until my 30th grammar school reunion and if it's going to happen I know that I will be a part of making it so.

Do you ever wonder what became of those people in your class that you haven't seen in awhile?

Do you remember who was your first kiss?Have you ever wished that first kiss was with someone different?

I found out this weekend that I was the first kiss for one of my classmates. A piece of knowledge that I was not aware of at the time of that kiss. It was a nice feeling to think that after twenty something years that he still remembered that and that he shared that with me.

A confession: that person referred above was NOT my first kiss. LOL!!!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Still no possum in our trap. Maybe the mere presence of it in the yard is keeping them away because I haven't seen any ol' possums lurking about.

Big neighborhood garage sale this Friday and Saturday and a great chance to purge, purge, purge. I took tomorrow and Friday off to get ready and then host the sale so hopefully the weather is good, people want to find bargains and a ton of stuff leaves my home to go live somewhere else.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

I could never have lived in the pioneer days where trapping meant food and clothing.

We have attempted every day now for 5 days to trap a possum and we have had no luck. The closest we came was when the trap was sitting up above the ground and I saw from the second floor bathroom window a possum trying to figure out how to get up and get some of that peanut butter that it smelled. We were successful in trapping a squirrel and I felt so bad for the anguish that it suffered that I put out peanuts for it that afternoon. Maybe there is a smell left from the squirrel in the trap and that is what is keeping the possums away.

Here are the rest of the cards that I made before the craft fair. I did pretty well (I always consider breaking even well). The space was $80 and I made $87. Better than last year!

Monday, September 13, 2010

This was a busy weekend for me.Saturday was the JUG's picnic with a surprise birthday party for Sue. She was surprised and it was a very good time. I stayed later than I should have and paid for it the next morning when I wanted to stay in bed but had to get up and out to the craft fair where I had a booth. Since I came in late the night before I was scrambling around trying to get everything together and of course I forgot things but all in all it was good. I sold enough to pay for my space and make a $7.00 profit. It was a bit slow so I count this as a BIG plus.

Thursday, September 09, 2010

I did some crafting over the weekend in preparation for an upcoming craft fair. I have more pictures but not enough time to upload them right now.

So what is the plural of possum or opossum? Is it possums/opossums or YIKES!!!

Nothing exciting going on except that I have two possums that have decided that they like prowling my yard at dusk. Not happy about this new occurance and I have found out that the city no longer provides trapping. Which means, trapping myself and bringing the captured "friend (take another look at the photo above)" to the forest or paying someone to trap and remove. I am hoping to do the former and save some cash. Unless of course my "friends" decide to give me that lovely grin as seen in the above photo taken from the worldwide web and not a picture of the possums in my yard.

Thursday, September 02, 2010

I have been a bad blogger of late. I have also been trying to craft for my upcoming craft show. I have made some cards that I forgot to take pictures. Here are two that I remembered before either mailing them off or packaging for sale. Hope you have a great Labor Day weekend. I will be spending mine cleaning and crafting.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Friday night into Saturday morning it poured and poured. My backyard flooded in it's usual place and I had to walk through some standing water (2 or 3 steps) to get out to the garage to load it for the garage sale that was held at my cousin's house. I was VERY fortunate that my basement didn't flood (a friend had 2 feet of water in her basement). We had a little seepage but nothing a quick mop up couldn't fix.

The garage sale wasn't that great. I think the "professional" garage shoppers didn't come out because of the rain. Well, I went there with 3-1/2 Rubbermaid containers, 2-1/2 of which I didn't go through so as I was putting the items on the table I decided whether is was worth keeping, to sell or put right away into a container to go to the Salvation Army. I am happy to say that the things that I chose to keep fit into the 1/2 container and the remainder either went to the Salvation Army or stayed at my cousin's for this Saturday's 2nd attempt. I made $7.00 and since most of my stuff was priced to sell at less than a dollar I think I did okay. My goal is to get more out of the house and if I can make a few dollars then that's all the better.

I have been investigating ways to save money so that I don't have to get a second job. The first place was the cable/internet/phone combo that I have. I went online to see the different packages and to see what channels were in each package. Get this: they don't have an online listing. So I spent part of my lunch hour on the phone with the cable company. I spoke to Helen, a super nice person and she is sending me out a package list that shows what channels and the prices. I guess I'll be watching alot more network tv this fall and inviting myself to friends and family for the movies. I am also thinking about doing away with the land line or possibly keeping the bundle but modifying my cell phone. I was also very good at the grocery store being careful to purchase only those items on my list and to modify my purchases by what was on sale.

I have two items for sale on ebay and both have a few watchers so I hope to make a few bucks there.

My goal for the week. To have all or most of the $20 that is in my wallet by Saturday.

Friday, July 23, 2010

I am VERY stressed and haven't been crafting but did do these cards awhile ago.

Between much too much to do at work and having to work overtime to try and stay afloat. Overtime for which I do not get paid and the fact that my household expenses are more than my income (they just raised my mortgage to get enough in escrow to cover the increase in the property taxes). I will be doing some VERY hard changes in the very near future. I don't want to get a second job but I think that is an option to create more income. The other one is to craft away and try and sell them but that solution is hard when my free time for crafting is spent working.

Enough of that!

I am participating in a group garage sale tomorrow and hopefully I can make a few bucks. I would be happy with enough to fill up my gas tank. $40.00 would be fantastic.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

So this is my first attempt at growing cucumbers.Not only am I attempting to grow something other than flowers, I am doing it in a container/pot.This is my first cucumber and it is completely organic.No fertilizer, no bug spray, nothing but water and sunshine.It was delicious!!!!

Monday, June 28, 2010

Thursday, June 24, 2010

I made this card using the patterned paper that I had out. I am beginning to make some inventory for the two craft fairs that I have coming up in the fall. I figured that I should begin with using the pieces of patterned paper that are out in my work area before cutting up new sheets.

I still need to take a picture of the quilled project that I did in the class last weekend. I will try to remember to do that tonight and post tomorrow.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Do you remember the unity that we Americans shared after the tragedy of 9/11?Do you remember that we all were respectful of our fellow man and didn't act like jerks to one another?I have been noticing lately that people are acting like real buffoons while driving, while in line. There are however those that are kind and considerate but they are becoming far and few between.Do we really need a tragedy to act civil to each other?

Okay, I am off my soapbox.

Saturday I learned how to paper quill. What a fun thing to do with paper. Of course because I don't own the nifty guide that we used in class the items I made at home were not all uniform. But it was nice to make a project and learn the technique.

Sunday I went to a Cubs game and it was the best!The Cubs won, the weather was fantastic, the seats were GREAT and I had my first experience taking the Skokie Swift and Red Line to the park. It made the travel part of it so much easier and so much cheaper.

I forgot my camera at home and hope the weather will clear (rain) so that I can take some pictures of the new flowers that are blooming in my yard. I also have another card to showcase so I will need to remember to put my camera in my briefcase.

Friday, June 18, 2010

I saw Sex and the City 2 last night with my friends Rhonda and Bubbles. I made it to the theater just in time to visit the little chick's room and see one trailer and then the movie started. Afterwards we went out to eat and our friend Sue (Chops) joined us and we sat, ate and discussed the fashions in the movie. Some I would love to own and others made me think, Yikers! who the heck came up with that outfit? I didn't think it was as good as the first movie, but I love the characters and was happy to have a sequel.

I am taking a paper quilling class at a local stamp store tomorrow afternoon and then on Sunday will be going to cheer on my Cubs with my sister, brother-in-law and cousin.

What are your weekend plans?

I seem to be stuck in this type of card fold. It was something new and different for me and I am using it alot recently.

This card is for my friend Stacie who so graciously opened her home so that nine of the JUG's could have a vacation in Las Vegas to celebrate those of us turning 50 years old this year. It took me awhile but I have finally gotten around to making the card and getting a gift card so that her and her hubby can treat themselves to something as a reward for putting up with us.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Hello and happy Tuesday. I hope that everyone had a great weekend. I had a ton of fun. Friday was our company outing to unveil the new company logo. I had to stay at the office to wait for the mail carrier to bring the mail and then make our bank deposit so I missed some of the fun. After that party I went to the racetrack to help my friend Bubbles celebrate joining the 50 year old club. So nice to have another member.Had some luck playing the ponies and had a really great time.

Saturday I went to the health club and worked out. It was both fun and a lot of hard work. It felt good to get sweaty and lift some weights. Oh how I wish I had a gym in my house because that would make it sooooo much easier. LOL!!! I probably would find an excuse not to go to my home gym too.

Sunday I spent doing chores and laundry and a little bit of organizing. I have another bag to go to the Salvation Army so I am making some purging progress.

Does anyone else like the show "Drop Dead Diva"? The second season just started up and I made the card below for my great nephew who graduated from 8th grade while watching that show. I know the card is a smidge late but I knew I had those embellishments it was just that I had to "find" them in the black hole of my crafting supplies. Each step I make to getting organized will help to eliminate the problem of "finding" things that I know I have. ORI could just be more organized in whole and I would have had the card made months before I needed it. OH, to be that good!!! If that ever happened I would have to change my name to Martha (as in Stewart) LOL!!!!!